The humble Humboldt honoured as Twycross celebrates Penguin Day

TWYCROSS Zoo uncovered fascinating pictures from its archives to mark the recent World Penguin Day, and celebrated its ongoing care and conservation for penguin species over the past six decades.

Twycross is home to 25 Humboldt penguins. It first welcomed this species to the zoo in 1969 and has cared for them ever since. The county attraction has also been home to three other penguin species - king penguins, african penguins and southern rock hopper penguins - throughout the 1960s and 70s.

Neil Dorman, curator at Twycross Zoo, said: “We are incredibly proud to house our Humboldt penguins at the zoo, part of our long history of caring for penguin species over the past six decades.

“Penguins are some of the zoo’s most popular and well-loved inhabitants due to their fun and inquisitive nature and it’s wonderful to see our family of Humboldt penguins continue to thrive.”

Humboldt penguins are currently listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with estimates of just a few thousand left in the wild.

These penguins in the wild live on the temperate coast of Chile and Peru. Their population has decreased by 85 per cent in just 40 years due to a multitude of threats including poaching, overfishing, guano harvesting which disturbs their breeding, pollution which increases the risk of disease and climate change.

Neil added: “Humboldt penguins are truly fascinating animals - with the ability to swim up to 25mph and dive up to 50 metres. They are often monogamous, pairing with a single partner for life, and can breed twice a year.

“It’s devastating to see the negative impact on populations in the wild, which is why we’re committed to supporting conservation efforts, both here in the UK and internationally, to help protect this vulnerable species.”

Twycross Zoo’s primary purpose is to preserve and protect the species we share our planet with.

Visitors can discover more than 400 animals from 80 different species in 100 acres of outdoor space. They can also visit the new The Gruffalo Discovery Land. To plan your visit and buy tickets online, visit www.twycrosszoo.org.